I'm an Aunt?
by bardsgrl4evr
Summary: Dawn has just discovered Buffy has been hiding a life all her own. In her search of the family she's never met, Dawn runs straight into the mutant situation. Will the Key and a werewolf be able to survive the trouble Sen Kenny sends to the Institution?
1. Chapter 1

In The Summer's Living Room>

"Thanks for coming over Oz. Xander's already started without us up in the attic. Go ahead and start up there. I've got to run over to the Magic Box to pick up a few things. I'll be back in a few." Oz watched as the 'Former Key to Hell's Dimension' buzzed around, taking his jacket and putting it next to Xander's in the closet, throwing hers on and snatching up her purse in a frenzy.

Oz grabbed her and pulled her into a tight embrace, and she sighed as his smell filled her nostrils.

"Calm now?" Dawn nodded.

"Good." Oz pulled her away and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Thanks Oz," he just smile as Dawn stepped out of the door, radiating strength and beauty. Oz had to shake those thoughts away.

Even when Dawn reached 80, she would still be labeled "Slayer's baby sister," and although Buffy was really gone this time, Oz couldn't cross into that dangerous territory.

Sighing in defeat, he made his way to the attic and brushed off any lingering notions of romance between him and Dawn.

* * *

In The Summer's Attic>

Xander shifted through the contents of a nearby box and pushed it aside in a huff. He ignored the door creaking open as he flipped open another box and withdrew it contents, muttering his hatred towards his favorite Undead person, (favorite one to hate that is: Angel) as he thumbed through the papers.

Oz wisely said nothing, allowing the other man to vent out his frustrations and grief concerning Angel. He knelt down, drawing a box close to him and opened it carefully. The word "caution" was written all over it in bright red marker, and Oz wasn't one to rebel against such an obvious warning.

Papers in plastic coverings laid in the box, packed unbelievably tightly. Oz lifted a decent sized amount and shuffled through it.

"Xander," Oz's fingers stopped when he examined the top document. Xander unburied himself from the contents of his own box and plopped next to Oz.

"Yeah?" Oz merely handed Xander the paper. "No way! The Buffster got married and didn't even tell us!"

Oz handed him the next paper from the pile, "there's more."


	2. Chapter 2

Max:Nope, Buffy's husband in this isn't Spike. Sorry to disappoint. I know I didn't give you guys any clues as to who, so here's chapter 2 to help you out. "Hello Cutie" is another one of my fics with Sprogue, for your information, and I highly recommend it to you for a quick read. It's not complete, but help yourself to what's there so far.

* * *

The Magic Box>

"Buffy's a mom! So what, that means I've got a pair of nephews in diapers running around?" Dawn was a wreck, and justly so, having just found out about some of her sister's best kept secrets. Spike wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her closer.

"Actually based on the dates of these certificates, which I've already been notified that they are indeed authentic, then these two would be around 18," Willow stated matter of factly from behind her laptop.

Dawn dropped her head into her hands as Tara spoke up, "I can't imagine what they must have went through, to not remember your own mother."

Tears threatened to fall on Dawn's faceat that thought, but she quickly blinked them back, "do we at least know who their father is?"

Willow shook her head, "the only letters I can make out on the birth certificates and the marriage license are three W's, presumably his first, middle, and last initials."

A peak of blonde hair appeared at Xander's said, with a small hand pulling gently on his shirt. "Daddy? G-Man wants to know if it's story time," Alexa Harris held up her doll fashioned after her god-father, the late Rupert Giles, and looked at Xander with large questioning eyes which were no doubt from his set of genes.

He glanced from his daughter to the sorrowful look on Dawn's face and suddenly he was shamed with guilt, "Alexas, honey, why don't you and G-Man go up to my room and watch some television?"

Dawn placed a hand on Xander's shoulder and shook her head, "we're not brain washing that child so early with cable Xander." Dawn flashed a smile to Alexa, "could I read to you and G-Man tonight, Alexa?"

Alexa nodded her head furiously and held her doll to her ear, "G-Man says he'd love you to if Daddy says you can."

Xander put his hands up in mock surrender, "go ahead, replace your old man with a younger, better looking reader. I see how it is." Xander put on a fake pout for his dramatic performance.

Alexa climbed into her father's lap and wrap her arms around his neck, "please Daddy?"

Xander pretended to ponder for a moment then winked at Dawn. "It's going to cost you," he said teasingly to his little girl. "If you bring me a Twinkie out of my secret stash in the bathroom, I'll let Dawn read to you and G-Man tonight."

Alexa jumped off his lap and ran upstairs, with a puzzled look clear on Xander's face. "The bathroom's down here honey," he hollered after her.

Spike brought the attention back to the important matter at hand, "if we don't knkow who the bloke, do we at least know where the kiddies are?"

Willow shook her head but Oz spoke up, "one's in Hawaii."

All eyes turned to him at this announcement. "What?" Willow ask in an almost demanding manner.

"Which one is in Hawaii?" Xander leaned towards the man earnestly, not hearing his daughter return downstairs and skip towards the table of adults.

Oz shrugged his shoulders and Xander knitted his eyebrows stressfully, "well how do you know one of them is in Hawaii, Oz?"

He opened his mouth to answer but Alexa spoke for him, "Uncle Oz surfs in Hawaii." The table turned to see Alexa by Xander's side, holding G-Man in one hand and a Twinkie in the other, which she offered out to Xander, "You don't have a stash in the bathroom Daddy, so I got you one out of the supply closet."

Spike snickered at that and Dawn swatted him on the arm as she stood up from the table, making her way to Alexa. Xander took the sugary treat and smiled at his daughter.

"Thank you honey." He kissed her on the forehead, "you and G-Man enjoy the story Dawnie is going to read to you. I want to hear all about it after your nap, alright?"

Alexa nodded and lifted her arms out to Dawn, who lifted the yound girl effortlessly and carried her upstairs to Alexa's bedroom. Once Dawn's steps could no longer be heard from the table, everyone redirected their attention to Oz.

"Spill it Wolf boy, what do you know about Little Bit's nephews?" Spike demanded roughly as he glanced upstairs.

"If it's the same guy, same Alex Summers, then we're headed into a world of trouble," Oz's eyesstayed locked on the seat Dawn had just vacated as the sound of Willow's rapid key stroking filled the room.

"Helloooo? We live on the top of afreakin hellhole, we've stopped the world from ending so many times I've lost count, and we're slay vampires on a regular basis. How much worse can it get?" Xander asked in a rather 'duh' tone, munching happily on his Twinkie.

Willow and Oz answered him simultaneously, sending chills down everyone's backs, "mutants."


	3. Chapter 3

"Welcome to Summer's Shore Side Surfing and Supplies, can I help you with anything?" Dawn locked her eyes on the young man in front of her. He had long brown hair, spilling over his eyes and beautifully tanned skin, which was very apparent by the fact he was shirtless.

Dawn could feel the color creep into her face and turned to Oz for aid, who quickly stepped up to help. "We're here to see Alex, he's expecting us."

Dawn noticed a slight glow to her friend, Oz was certainly in his element here, not that he wasn't in Sunnydale; he was just very adaptable in just about anywhere. She was shook out of her thoughts as Oz placed a hand on her back and motioned for her to follow the dark haired employee into the back section. Drew Barrymore's famous line from _Ever After_ rushed into Dawn's mind "Just Breathe." Dawn would have laughed at the thought if this wasn't such a serious matter.

The young man in front of her stopped next to a door and waved Dawn and Oz in.

"Thanks Joe, oh and tell Danny he still owes me six hours of work for that board," the blonde man in the room rose to greet the two visitors. Their escort nodded, "sure thing Alex," and with his task completed, he shut the door and returned to the front desk, Dawn could only assume. She redirected her attention to Alex who flashed a grin and offered his hand, which she shook firmly.

"I feel honored that you two flew out from Cali to come see me. I know Oz here from S+S trips, but you I've never had the pleasure of meeting before Ms-?"

Dawn raised an eyebrow at Oz who muttered, "Soul searching."

She nodded knowingly, and turned back to Alex, "Summers, Dawn Summers." Dawn noticed his ears perked with interest with she said that, and he motioned for them to have a seat at the table.

Oz placed a briefcase on the tabletop and popped it open as Dawn sat down and attempted to quell her nerves.

"Could I get you something to drink? Water? Soda?" Alex asked as he too settled into a seat. Dawn shook away the offer as Oz place the briefcase on the floor, leaving a single folder in front of him.

"Alex, I'm not entirely sure how to do this properly so I suppose I'll just dive in," Oz began as he slid the folder to the young man across from him. "You've got a living relative who is interested in meeting you."

Alex's eyebrow rose in question, "oh really?" He opened the folder and scanned the contents. Buffy's marriage license laid on top followed by deeds to assorted houses, a bunch of other legal papers Alex could only dream the meaning of, and a couple of birth certificates. The first was his older brother Alex already knew about, Scott Summers. The second birth certificate belonged to Alex himself. Behind the certificates were a few snapshots of a laughing family of four. Alex and Scott as little children, sitting on the shoulders of people Alex undoubtedly would never forget; their mother and father. While Alex had nabbed his mother's blonde wavy hair, Scott took after their father, from the tight dark locks to the focused, commanding brown eyes to the air of responsibility that seemed to engulf them.

"And who might this relative be Oz?" Alex traced his finger over his mother's face; her laughing eyes seemed to hold a secret that she had taken to the grave. Of course, Alex's father, Warren, had plenty of secrets as well, one of which changed the lives of Scott and Alex forever. "Who could possibly have interest in an 18 yr old surfer boy? And why now? Why did they suddenly find interest in me? Level with me Oz, what's the hidden agenda?"

"I don't have one, Alex," Dawn said softly, looking down at her hands in her lap. She could feel him look at her, examining her more fully, as if he had missed something the first time.

Alex leaned back in the chair, sneering, "And who might you be Ms _Summers_? My dear mother or maybe a sister I was never aware of?"

"Alex, let us explain," Oz said sternly. "We just found out the truth ourselves a few days ago." Oz placed a hand on top of Dawn's, squeezing it reassuringly.

"I'm your aunt Alex, and whether or not you want to believe it isn't the reason I'm here. I came because I know what it's like not to have family. I know first hand how it feels to not have anyone. I came because you should find out the truth straight from the horse's mouth. I came because I'm not letting Buffy keep me from my family, not again." Dawn raised her eyes on locked onto Alex's. He could feel her hurt, but he didn't care. Who was she to claim she knew what it was like? She was normal for god's sake, and Alex, he was far from normal.

Alex stood up suddenly, "you don't know anything lady. You think you can claim to be a long lost relative or whatever and expect me to take you into my arms and claim you as family? You're wrong. You're not the first to try it, even with documents in hand, and you certainly won't be the last. Now I'm a very busy man, I think it's time for you two to leave."

Oz rose uneasily, it wasn't supposed to go like this, not this way. Dawn however, stayed seated, eyes locked on Alex still. _It's time to pull a Buffy,_ Dawn thought to herself. A quick shift of her facial expressions was all she needed, at least, that's all Buffy needed.

"Alexander Harris Summers, I flew here from Sunnydale, California. I had to change planes four times to get here, and I fear heights. Now I came here in search of finally meeting one of my nephews that my late sister had failed to mention the existence of. Now you've got two choices: Option A, you can continue being the inconsiderate pity party surfer boy and ignore everything coming out of my mouth. Option B, you can be civil and let us tell you of how we discovered Buffy's well hidden secret. Either way, we're not going anywhere till we say what we came to say."

EOC 


	4. Chapter 4

Dawn and Oz waited in the foyer of the Institution, having been told by a girl with white stripes in her hair that she would go retrieve the Professor. 

"So this is how the other half lives, huh?" Dawn speculated as she ran a hand over a sculpture showcased near the front door. It seemed oddly familiar but she couldn't figure out why.

Oz caught her staring and motioned his head towards the artwork. "The birth of Venus, a very popular piece. Simple, yet lacks nothing." Oz opened his mouth to say more but closed it quickly, sniffing the air.

"What is it Oz?" Dawn asked concerned.

The young man paid her no mind as he walked tentatively towards the stairs and turned back again to face Dawn. He shrugged his shoulders.

"It's nothing. I just –" Oz was cut off with a grunt as a small figure tackled him to the ground, snarling. Oz tried pushing his attacker off of him or to least roll over onto his back, but to no avail. With his head shoved against the cold tiled floor, Oz could only see Dawn and the look of frantic inventiveness cross her face.

She grabbed the statue she was just admiring and slammed it hard onto Oz's attacker. He grunted then growled, causing Dawn to yelp in surprise.

"Darlin' I'm the one savin' ya," the man shook his head as he spoke. Pieces of the clay sculpture showered to the floor.

"Saving me from what? You're the one that attacked us." Dawn cried out. Had this guy completely lost it?

"No, I attacked the werewolf. Most people would be grateful and thank me."

"Get off of him!" She screeched at the man.

"Does the fact he's a werewolf mean anything to you lady?" Dawn's reply was never heard as a dog from the top of the stairwell barked and ran down quickly. Its pawns slid out from under it numerous times as it crossed the tiled floor towards the trio. It sniffed at Oz interestingly. He mumbled something but Dawn couldn't make out what it was he was saying. The dog barked happily again before shifting into a young girl, about 13, with dark red hair.

"Mr. Logan, what are you doing on top of Oz?" She asked innocently. The man growled in response.

"Do you know this guy Pup?"

"Sure I do, that's Oz. He's here to see Scott and the Professor."

"Goddess, Logan! What have I told you about attacking visitors?" This voice produced yet another growl from Logan and he reluctantly released Oz, stepping away him. A middle aged woman with shiny white hair stepped out from one of the corridors with an older gentleman rolling beside her in a wheelchair.

"I was just tryin' to protect the lady is all. No need to throw a fit. See if I pull the Good Samaritan act again." He huffed before storming off.

Dawn meanwhile helped Oz to his feet, eyeing the two adults warily.

"Welcome to the Institution. My name is Charles Xavier. This is my assistant Ororo Munroe. The young girl beside you is Rahne Sinclair, one my students, and the man who just left is Logan, one of the teachers here." The gentleman smiled softly as he made the introductions.

Dawn couldn't believe any self-respecting school would keep such a short tempered and violent man around, to teach students to less.

_I suppose he's better than a demon as the principal._ She thought to herself. It could have been Dawn's imagination, but she could have sworn the man's face shifted into a smirk just then.

_You're being paranoid Dawnie. Calm down. Everything will be fine. I'm sure this Scott fellow will be a lot more accepting to what we've got to say. Alex seemed to take after Buffy. Let's hope Scott got the brains in the family, and not the 'kill-now-ask-questions-later' attitude._

Oz extended his hand out to the professor and Ororo, "it's nice to meet you. I'm Oz Osborne and this is Dawn Summers." He glanced around the foyer before speaking again, "is there somewhere a bit more private where we might be able to speak with Scott?"

"Of course. Rahne, could you show these two to the conference room? Rogue is retrieving Scott from his training session so the two should be on their way. Unfortunately, there's an utmost need for my presence in the Medical Wing, so if you two will excuse me." Xavier spun around in his wheel chair and headed down one of the numerous halls before another word was spoken.

Ororo nodded her head towards Dawn and Oz, "I have a class awaiting me. It was a pleasure meeting you both. I hope to see you again." She, herself, made her way to the elevator door Dawn hadn't noticed before and disappeared from sight with a ding.

Rahne waved towards the two, "come on. It's not far." Oz grabbed a hold of Dawn's arm and they followed Rahne through all the twists and bends in the mansion. She was speaking loudly, Dawn noticed, louder than she ought to be in the small hallway. The sound of doors slamming reached her ears and she glanced around. Up ahead, about four doors on either side shut suddenly. Curious, Dawn turned around and noticed about six heads watching her in the door ways they had already walked by. Once they noticed Dawn saw them, they shut the doors again hurriedly.

"Such a friend bunch," she muttered under her breath.

Rahne seemed to know what she was talking about and lowered her voice a bit from the near shouting level she had been speaking at just moments ago, glancing back towards Dawn and Oz. "Sorry, we're not antisocial hermits or anything, at least not the large majority of the students. It's just procedure is all. You see, the students that are at the Institution at this hour are a bit more distinguished than some of the others, the ones who are enrolled at Bayville High."

"You mean cause they're mutants?" Dawn asked without reserve. Rahne stopped suddenly and turned around to face the woman suspiciously.

"Everyone at the Institute is a mutant," she said with a bitter tone. "Some mutations are just less noticeable than others." She looked down at her hands sadly before reaching for a door on the left and opening it. "Here we are. Like the Professor said, Scott and Rogue should be here any minute. I have to run, I've got class and all." Rahne stated as she waved Oz and Dawn into the room and motioned for them to have a seat.

"It was good seeing you again Oz," the young girl ran up to him and hugged him suddenly. Surprised, Oz slowly returned the sentiment. Rahne broke contact and nodded at them both before stepping back out into the hallway and shutting the door behind her.

Dawn settled into one of nearby chairs as she commented at the bunch. "The odd ones you know Oz, why doesn't it surprised me you know mutants?"


	5. Chapter 5

(Flashback of ch4)

Dawn settled into one of the nearby chairs as she commented at the bunch. "The odd ones you know Oz. Why doesn't it surprise me you know mutants?"

* * *

The young man shrugged. "Must be my personality. Kinda attracts the weird people." He smirked at Dawn as she looked offended. She swung her hand without warning, hitting his arm with a pleased grin on her face. "Ow," Oz rubbed him injured body part. 

"Baby," Dawn declared as she leaned the chair back. The door opened up and she slammed the feet onto the floor in surprise. A young man with short brown hair and a slim statue stepped into the room and the young woman behind him. Dawn recognized her from earlier and mentally noted Xavier calling her Rogue.

_So this must be Scott Summers,_ Dawn thought to herself as she looked him over. He wore a pair of khasi slacks and a blue sweater. She vagued noted the red shades he was wearing as she rose from the chair and extended her hand in greeting.

"Hi, I'm Dawn Summers." She offered him a smile and he shook her hand. "This is Oz," she stated as she motioned towards the young man still sitting.

"I'm Scott, and this is Rogue," the girl nodded her head and grabbed a seat across from Oz. The werewolf sniffed the air as discreetly as he could, noting an unusual aura around Rogue, but said nothing concerning it. Scott sat next to his teammate as Dawn turn her place beside Oz.

"The professor said you've already talked to Alex." Scott stated casually.

Dawn and Oz nodded and the latter handed Scott, the same folder he had offered the younger Summers boy just the day before. "Hopefully your reaction won't be as, upsetting."

Scott nodded and opened up the folder. He slid it between him and Rogue and the two glanced through it silently for a moment. Dawn looked at Oz suspiciously, being unclear of Scott's relationship with Rogue and thinking it was inappropriate for her to be looking at the documents that told of Scott's family. The werewolf merely offered a shrug and a small smile. He had seen the contents and he wasn't family, so what was the harm in it, if Scott felt he trusted this young woman.

"So how did you find all this out?" Scott asked as he closed the folder.

"Spring Cleaning," Oz answered automatically. Dawn scowled at him and he glanced down at the table, crestfallen. Scott and Rogue exchanged concerned looks before Dawn spoke.

"Actually we were going through Buffy's, your mother's, personal things. That's how we stumbled upon my sister's secret life."

Scott was glad he was sitting because the news certainly would have knocked him off his feet. "How long has it been since she died?" He managed to ask with a steady voice, while his insides were bouncing around like mad.

"Most recently? I'd say about a month." Seeing the looks of confusion on the X-Men's faces, Dawn explained further, "Buffy had a tendency of coming back to life. Several times in fact. But it's for permanent this time, she saw to it herself. Good news is we have reasons to believe your father's still alive."

Scott released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. All he ever thought about his folks were lies. They survived the plane crash, his mother has survived death numerous times apparently, and now there's a chance his father was alive. "Well, I'm not too sure what happens next." Scott confessed with a shrug, Rogue gave his hand a small squeeze then motioned her head towards Dawn.

"Ah think ya two should get ta know each other. Make up fer lost time, as it wer." Rogue stated as she rose from her chair. "Why don't ya show your aunt around Scott, Ah'm sure she'd love to see how life at the mansion is like. Ah can keep Oz out of trouble. Rahne said something about he'd enjoy Alex's program in the Danger Room."

Oz shot his head up at 'Danger Room' and glanced around nervously. Scott chuckled at the man's reaction as he rose as well.

"That sounds like a plan." Dawn nodded and pushed Oz to follow Rogue out the door.

* * *

"Computer Execute sequence Alpha Summers 8-2-1-5-9. Clearance level Rogue." 

"Access granted. Sequence Alpha Summers 8-2-1-5-9 has been initated, program will began in ten minutes."

Rogue looked Oz over in the control tower and walked to a shelf that held different styles of training suits. She handed him a black wetsuit and pointed to the changing room.

"I suggest you get into that. You don't want to be in jeans for this," Rogue explained as she went back to typing on the large keyboard.

Oz looked at the outfit he was just handed, noting the odd "X" symbol on the chest, and walked into the room without saying a word.

"Rogue, what's your status? Over."

The young woman sighed as she pressed the comm button on her jacket, a matching "X" to the one of Oz's wetsuit, and replied. "Danger Room, over."

"Copy that. Is Cyclops with you? Over."

"Negative, he's giving his aunt a tour of the grounds. Over." Rogue typed in the final modifications for Oz's run through of Alex's program as the young man emerged from the room carrying his own clothes in his hands. She glanced over at him and noted the well defined muscles that the suit seemed to accent. Oz noticed the look and secretly wished Dawn was present to see him, knowing she'd enjoy the view as well.

"So what exactly am I doing?" Oz asked as he motioned down to the floor of the DangerRoom.

Before Rogue could answer however, the emergency lights flashed and the siren wailed. "Red Alert. The Institution is on Red Alert. Faculty and students report to the DangerRoom immediately. This is not a drill. Red Alert. The Institution is on..."

"Storm, what's going on!" Rogue screamed into the comm as she reached up with her hand to lower the volume of the siren for the control room. The door to the Danger Room flew open and the students rushed in, all talking excitedly. Oz noted a few adults were ushering the kids in as Xavier appeared rose in the elevator to the tower. He wheeled up to the control panel as Rogue jumped up and with a press of a button, his voice echoed through the DangerRoom causing silence to engulf the occupants.

"Please, you all must remain calm. X-Men make your way up to the control tower. The rest of you mingle amongst yourselves until an emergency program is activated." They had little time to comply as the scenery changed from the hard metal walls to the sandy beach, a sunshine peeking out from over the horizon. The students whooped and hollared their pleasure with the sequence and many raced into the cool waters, still dressed in jeans and such. Jamie had spotted the boards and made enough copies of himself so that he carried a board of a different color. The Jamies laughed happily as they paddled out and awaited the waves. Meanwhile Amara and Jubilee laid on their backs, contently sunning themselves. As the younger students broke off to enjoy the sand and surf, the X-Men rode the elevator Xavier had used just moments ago to get to the tower.

Cutting off the two way mic, Xavier wheeled to face his team, crestfallen that it was missing its leader. The others seemed to notice the shortage of members as well and glanced around in hopes of spotting the hidden friend. Finally Rogue voiced the question that was on everybody's minds.

"Professor, where's Scott?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for the delay, but finally the arrival of the long awaited update. Enjoy!**

_I'm An Aunt! ch six_

"Ms. Summers, too, I'm afraid."

"What!" Oz's outcry caused six heads to swivel around towards the werewolf in the wet suit.

The fact there were two blue haired men in the midst barely registered in his mind as the larger of the two took off his glasses in a totally Giles like manner and spoke, "maybe you should head down and hit the waves like the students. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. Rogue, would you mind?" The white banged teen opened her mouth to protest but Oz beat her to it, having no reserves towards the professor.

"I don't know who you are bub, but you're certainly not my father. And I am not about to depend on a much of high school kids running around in spandex to get my Dawn and her nephew back!" He was breathing heavily by the end and Rogue placed a hand on his shoulder. SHe could relate to Oz's outburse, her Scott was missing too, after all.

"It's okay, Oz. We'll get them back, with your help."

"Professor," Jean whined. "I don't think that's such a good idea. I mean, he could get hurt or something."

Xavier seemed to ponder the choices for a moment before replying, "it actually maybe to our benefit if he accompanied the search and rescue team. I have reason to believe we may need his area of expertise."

"Werewolves?"

"Witches?"

"Demons?"

The bald man paid the interruptive voices no mind as he continued, "judging by the unusual pile of dust we discovered near the fountain, we're dealing with something the X-Men have never faced before."

"Vampires," Oz sighed out, knowing that it was what they were up against. It was always vampires. Even by flying to the East Coast, Oz couldn't get away from those pesky blood suckers.

"I'm afraid so," Xavier's confirming statement brought another, heavier sigh from the werewolf as he picked up his clothes and headed for the changing room once more. If there was room in the wetsuit for his wooden stakes and crosses, Oz wouldn't have bothered changing but since there wasn't a pocket to be found, he had to put his jeans and flanel shirt back on.

"Charles, are you sure it would be wise to bring the young man along? I understand he could be of help to us, but he seems so emotionally unstable. Can you be certain he won't go too far? That he won't let his emotions control his judgement?" Ororo asked, knowing if the X-Men doubted even one member on the team, the mission would be a failure.

"Ms Sinclair seems to trust Oz and his abilities with her life, and I see no reason to doubt the young man. His drive at the moment is the same as ours, getting a dear friend back safely."

Much like your current standing with young Scott, Xavier's telepathic message brought a blush to Rogue's face and she turned her head away to survey the students below.

A couple of Jamies were chasing after a laughing Ashley, SIren when she had the uniform on for training. The blonde girl squealed with glee with the copies leapt on top of her. Two of them held her down as a third tickled her unmercifully. Sam was playing Frisbee with Rahne while Roberto sun bathed near by. Ray and Jubilee were competing on the waves as Amara cheered them on from the shoreline. All the youngest students oblivious to the turmoil raging inside of the life sucking mutant. Turmoil only her younger brother seemed to pick up on.

"He'll be back in time for dinner tonight, Rogue, don't you fret." Kurt offered her a smile and a small embrace, knowing her reservations on physical contact, even if she was properly covered.

"So how do we get rid of these umpire things?"

"Vampires Kitty, Vampires! You know those things that fly around as bats and suck your blood." Evan's retorted resulted in a pout on Kitty's face, the scrunched up look suggested a grimance and her response confirmed it.

"You mean those things that get all hairy once a month? Like, eww."

"Actually, you're describing werewolves. Vampires are quite a bit different matter." Oz informed the young girl as he stepped out the changing room area, shifting his shift into place. "With vampires, you only need two, three things max: wooden stakes for offense, crosses for defense, and holy water for torture." Oz showcased each item before the group as he tucked them into his pockets for easy access. "We can break off a branch or two from that oak out front and scrape them down. That should make enough for each of you to have two stakes a piece."

"You can't honestly expect us to break off limbs of that tree, can you?" Ororo flipped out when threats were directed to her plantlife, and this time was no different. "Charles, you can't let him hurt my oak. There's got to be another way, something else we could do."

"Ororo, it'll be fine, don't worry. And you've always been on Logan about pruining some of those more inconvient branches," Xavier's words made sense to the weather goddess and she relented with a nod of her head.

"Okay, do you have any idea where some of the local nests reside, or maybe someone who would?" Oz chalked up the woman's shriek of protest under the loony column and went about the drill as usual.

"I'm afraid we've never handled vampires before so we wouldn't know where to begin," Xavier answered truthfully.

Oz muttered "amateurs" under his breath as he ran his hand through his shaggy hair, growing frustrated more and more by the moment. "Okay, do whatever to the controls to get Rahne up here." The adults stood still, casting glances to each other. WIth a slight growling undertone, Oz inquired, "well, what are you waiting for?"

"Normally we don't allow the New Mutants up here in the control booth. Things tend to get broken if we do," Hank explained. Oz was quickly growing to dislike the man.

"Well, do you normally get attacked by vampires and get innocent bystanders kidnapped? Probably not. And it's just Rahne, not the whole ninth grade, so forget the norms and get her up here if you want any hope of finding Scoot before nightfall. That's when vampires usually feed." Oz said that last bit as if he was speaking to a bunch of little kids, slow and deliberate. Xavier wheeled around and presed a button, the static feed filling the speakers and gettting the attention of the students below.

"Rahne, could you come up here please." Oz watched as she dropped the Frisbee from her mouth and barked before morphing backin to her usual teenager form. She raced towards the elevator and Oz impatiently waited for the bing and the doors to open up to reveal the red headed girl. He seemed to wait too long.

"What do you need Professor?" Rahne inquired as she disembarked from the metal box.

He merely motioned to Oz who took it as his cue. "Do you patrol anymore?"

The question shocked the young mutant and her eyes grew large. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't have time for games Rahne, and they already know about vamps so the secrecy thing doesn't apply anymore. Now do you patrol anymore or not?" Oz pressed her, hoping the answer was yes, and yet part of him hoped it was no. No meant she had established life away from things that went bump in the night.

After glancing towards the adults, she turned her head back to Oz and nodded. "Yeah, couple of nights a week. Every night when the adults are gone," she confessed.

Oz paid no mind to the gasp that reached his ears, "so you know where the major nests are right?"

"Yeah, a couple."

"Great, get your clothes on, you're coming along." A string of protest filled the room as Rahne looked confused.

"Professor, she can't, he can't, she's not an X-Man!"

"Charles, Rahne doesn't have the experience"

"She's much too young"

"It's not his call to make"

"Like totally cool"

"Wicked"

"She's not coming Chuck"

The voices were overlapping each other and driving Oz berserk. He, they, didn't have tiem for all this red tape crap. He lifted his index and middle fingers to his mouth and whistled loudly, bringing silence to the room immediately.

"If you all are finished arguing, we've got two people awaiting to be rescued, or did you forget that little detail?" Oz's harsh but truthful words cut deep into the group and looks of shame mirrored many of the faces. "Now, it may not be my call to make, to have Rahne come along, but I've worked with her before in this kind of situation before and I know what she's capable of, which is a lot more than I can say for the lot of you.l SHe also happens to know where Scott and Dawn could be, the only one, I might add. So either she comes with us, or the two of us are going to play vigilantes and I'll personally make sure she breaks curfew." Rahne wanted to squeal and hug the ait out of her friend as he stood up to the professors and the older X-Men.

Maybe finally they would take her serious and give her a little respect.


	7. Chapter 7

Charles took to heart what Oz had said and with a nod of his head, the matter was settled. "X-Men, suit up. Take up time will be in ten minutes, with or without you."

The teens jolted for the changing room, all in a rush to get their uniform on, none of them wanting to miss a scuffle with vampires. Logan and Ororo followed after them, automatically assuming the supervising roles as usual. Hank walked over to the viewing glass, observing the New Mutants at play. He debated whether to go back down to the lab or to stay up in the booth and run a training session so the day wouldn't be chalked up as a total waste.

Meanwhile in the vampire nest…

Dawn wiggled her wrists, feeling the rope strain around her skin and the foul odor of death reached her nostrils. Steeling herself against the sour taste in her mouth when she breathed in, Dawn strained her ears to pick up on the sounds around her. A couple of voices were whispering a ways off and a shuffle of clothes brushed against her followed by a groan of pain.

"Scott? Are you okay?" Another groan replied before she could understand what was being said by her nephew.

"Dawn? Urg. Where are we? What happened?" She could feel Scott move around some more and his tone become slightly frantic. "Can you see where we are? My glasses, do I have my glasses on?"

Dawn didn't know what the big deal about his shades was, but now wasn't exactly an ideal time to inquire. "We're probably in an abandoned building, it's fresh nest from the smell of it."

"Nest? Nest of what?"

She gulped, telling her nephew about vampires and such wasn't exactly on the agenda when she planned this visit. But she also didn't pencil in getting kidnapped either. "Vampire nest, actually. We were grabbed by a couple of fledglings. Do you remember that?"

"Yeah, sorta. I must have gotten knocked out after that burst of dust covered me."

Dawn had to give the young man credit, he was taking being tied up in a vampire nest better than most. She smirked, although she knew he couldn't see it, and muttered, "Welcome to a day in the life of Dawn Summers."

Scott didn't seem to hear her as he focused on his hands, "the rope, it's loosening. I should be able to slip out. Yes!" He rubbed his wrists as the rope fell into a pile between them. He brought his hands to his face, pulling the blindfold off and feeling the space in front of his eyes. He nearly shouted from relief. The metallic frames say against his nose and the lenses seemed to be perfectly intact.

The store room materialized before him when he opened his eyes, sighing as red flooded his vision. Wooden crates surrounded the two and Scott tilted his head, the white lettering of "Wolf-man Law Offices in conjunction with Hart Corporation" appeared pink through his glasses caused him to pause.

"Scott?"

Immediately the young man remembered his aunt was still restrained and reached to her. "Sorry something caught my eye," Scott grunted as he pulled at the rope until it gave way. Dawn murmured thanks as she soothed the reddened skin around her wrists. She glanced around once she jerked off the blind fold and spotted the crates that had caught Scott's attention just moments ago.

"You have got to be kidding me," Dawn hoped this was some kind of sick joke, but deep down, she knew it wasn't.

"What is it," Scott inquired, unaware of Dawn's past dealings with the demonically based business.

She ignored his question as she rose to her feet and offered him a hand up as well. "We need to split, pronto." Dawn didn't offer any explanation as she frisked herself quickly, pulling out a couple of her stakes. This kind of thing happened too often to Dawn and the other Scoobies. She handed one to Scott who just looked at it oddly.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Dawn tried not to huff with impatience, it was a difficult thing for her to do but she managed to pull it off.

"Wooden stake, vampire heart. Connect the dots and get a harmless pile of dust." She spoke slow and made a stabbing motion to prove her point. "Now let's go before they come and check on us." Dawn crossed over to the nearest door and eased it open slowly, peeking into the next room. Drusilla sat on a canopy bed, brushing the hair of one of her dolls while the other vampires channel surfed near by, arguing about what to watch.

"When's Daddy coming back?" Dru asked her Annabelle doll. The porcelain face stared at the vampiress, big blue eyes unblinking. The fledglings glanced her way before sending looks to each other and returning their attention back to the tube.

"Oh shit," Dawn muttered as she slid the door shut as quietly as she could. She pressed her forehead against the cool steel and sighed. Couldn't she have a normal week, just once?

"Try that other door Scott, there's trouble on the other side of this one." She waited for him to acknowledge but heard nothing of the sort. She turned around with a frown on her face, had he heard her or what? Dawn gasped at what she saw. Angelus grasped Scott be the neck, holding him a few inches from the ground so his feet dangled helplessly in the air. He grabbed at the vampire's hand that clamped itself around his windpipe but did nothing to deter the soulless fiend's grip in the slightest.

"Don't hurt him Angelus!" Dawn cried out. The vampire laughed at her before shifting into his biting face.

"Why not? I've finally got the Key, this guy is just expendable. Couldn't killed him when we grabbed you, but Dru wanted someone new to play with while Daddy worked with the lawyers."

"Put him down now, or I'll…"

"You'll what? Stab me in the heart? Come on Dawnie, be a bit more creative than that. We both know Buff got the looks in the family, so you have to have gotten the brains. And when I'm finished with you, that'll be the only thing recognizable." Effortlessly Angelus tossed Scott across the room and the teen crashed against the opposite wall. Dawn watched as her nephew lay still amongst the dust and debris. When she moved towards the fallen mutant, Angelus swept over and grabbed her around the wrist. Her cross bracelet burned into his hand and he growled in pain, releasing his hold on he.

Dawn raced over to Scott, brushing the dust off his face after removing his glasses. His eyelids seemed to glow red briefly but Dawn was more concerned with the sticky substance coming from the back of head. She lifted his head into her lap, pressing against the wound to stop the bleeding. He winced from her touch and Dawn cheered inwardly, however, her relief was short lived as Angelus stalked towards the two with a sinister look on his face.

"Scott, now would be an excellent time to wake up," Dawn urged the teen. His eyelids fluttered as he mumbled something. His aunt shook his shoulders, pleading silently for a miracle. Angelus loomed over them finally, smirking a victorious grin.

Scott opened his eyes just then, unaware his glasses had been removed, and a blast of optic rays shot out from his pupils, hitting Angelus dead on. Dawn watched in mute awe as a crater of fire grew out from the vampire's chest, devouring him within a few seconds and leaving behind nothing more than a pile of dust.

Later Scott's power would be explained to the baffled woman and Angelus' demise would make sense. But for now it was all Dawn could do not to freak out as her nephew fumbled around for his glasses. She put them in his wandering hands without a word and stood, shaking the dirt from her clothes before heading to the door Angelus had come through.

The night sky was open and without stars as the bustle of the docks went into over drive. Foremen shouted out commands over the noisy forklifts and crew men moved crates and their contents around the loading area, waiting for their respective ships to arrive.

"Do you know where we are?" Dawn questioned Scott as he stepped up beside her, hand pressed against the back of his head. Peering around, he nodded, "Will's Docks."


	8. Chapter 8

"Okay, that makes three nest no longer in existence. What else have we got, Rahne?" Oz was pumped. He always got this way when he was slaying vampires, and searching for Dawn just fueled him on all the more.

"Just the Williamson docks. I think they're stowing away on the ships and making camp in the storage warehouses." Rahne informed him.

By now the others were over their initial shock and surprise at Rahne's hidden hobby and were back to acting like their normal selves. Which meant Jean was her usual bitching self, whining about some insignificant detail in her miserable, pathetic life.

"You know, when Scott was _MY_ boyfriend, he never got kidnapped by the undead and I never let his family be taken as hostages." Jean sneered and looked down her perfectly shaped nose to Rogue, who sat in her seat, paying the priss no mind. This just irritated Jean all the more and she tapped into Rogue's mind for her next attack on the young woman's sprit.

_When he was mine, at least I knew whose legs he was between._

Jean barely had time to break the connection before Rogue flew at her, war cry resonating from deep in her throat and claws-like nails extended out like weapons. The two slammed on the ground and Rogue tore at Jean's face frantically, ripping hair and smiling when she heard the sounds of bones breaking. Her legs were strattling Jean's ribs and she pressed them together hard and fast. The red head shrieked in pain as her ribs broke in numerous places.

Kurt and Kitty watched from their seats, knowing Jean was getting what she deserved. She always did when Rogue was concerned. They weren't about to step in, they'd leave that suicidal job for Logan, the only self healer of the group.

Even with his sensitive hearing, the Canadian man didn't come to investigate the screams and shrieks until Jean's face matched the color of her hair, what was still attached to her scalp. With a grunt Logan pulled Rogue off the psychic and positioned himself between the two girls. He didn't want to deal with them right now, he didn't. He'd let Xavier sort it out when they got back. Instead, Logan did what he was great at, breaking spirits and shattering hearts.

"Don't care who started it, you're both now doing Danger Room sessions with me twice a day, three times on weekends until I decide otherwise." Rogue crossed her arms with her trademark glare in place, but inwardly she was smirking. She was the victor, hands down.

Jean, always wanting to get the last word in, opened her mouth to interject but Logan shot her down with ease. "Seeing as how you're in no condition to handle the undead Red, Storm will stay behind and watch you. See you clean yourself up before we get back. We're expecting company." Logan spun on his heel and half dragged Rogue into the cock pit where Ororo was flying the plane, Rahne was navigating, and Oz was observing. The three turned their heads as Rogue plopped into a seat with a huff, the pilot being the only one with enough guts to ask what had happened. Rahne knew better than to ask straight out, besides Kitty and Kurt were probably going to tell her anyways, and Oz didn't care enough to even wonder.

"Stripes and Red decided to go at it. And now Red's staying on board with you and Stripes here isn't leaving my side. Sorry 'Ro." The weather witch sighed, she had come to enjoy 'slaying' and found she was actually quite good at it.

"I'm glad you girls decided to wait until after I had a little fun before grounding me," Ororo commented towards Rogue, who glared out the window, watching the ground approach.

"Okay X-Men, this is our final shot to get this right. Let's make Summers proud." Logan spoke over the intercom as he pulled down his face mask. The team was practically out the door before the wheels touched down. Kitty was the first one out, for obvious reason, and she looked around the busy dock with a worried look on her face.

"Hmm, guys? Where do we start?" The others glanced around at her question. Hundreds of warehouses, identically sized, shaped, and colored, filled the docks. It would take all night to check off of them. A horn interrupted the groans of disappointment and the teens leapt out of the way of a fast moving forklift, the driver waving his arm and cursing at them in a language only Oz knew. As the man drove by, the werewolf pointed to the boxes the demon posing human was carting away.

"Wolverine, can you read that? What's the label on that box?" Oz knew the man had exceptional eyesight, he just hoped it ranked up there with remarkable and unbelievable.

The man squinted his eyes, "Wolf-man Law Offices-"

"Follow that lift!" Oz cut the man off and commanded the X-Men into a chase. Nightcrawler had the sense to teleport himself onto the back of the forklift, citing his location via the com links. Kitty was right behind him as she raced through crates and work men with ease. It took a mere moment before Rahne was on the sophomores' tails, having morphed into her dog form allowed her greater speed and reflexes. Logan had taken after Nightcrawler with a groan of "elf, get back here."

That left Oz and Rogue. The former just happened to glance in the opposite direction of everyone else was running, and he was glad he did. Oz watched as a matching forklift with the same label exited a warehouse only a few yards away.

"This way," he motioned for Rogue who nodded and immediately the two sped towards the building. The outside was being guarded by vamps, Oz noticed as they approached closer. Ducking behind a couple of crates, the two waited until the watchmen walked around the side of the building before bolting for the door that Oz discovered swung open easily.

A flash of movement caught his eye and he ducked his head in time to avoid being hit by the wooden bat-like club Dawn was wielding. When she saw who it was, she dropped the bat immediately and jumped into his arms.

"Boy, are we glad to see you. I think I've related to the ultimate weapon against vampires, but I can't explain that now, we need to go, like now." Dawn spoke hurriedly and Scott shook his head at his aunt's odd behavior before noticing who stood next to Oz.

"Rogue!" He wrapped his arms around her and she returned the gesture, surprising the both of them.

"Okay kids, enough of the reunion. The meter's running and Ma's getting impatient." Oz joked in a Xander-like manner as he grabbed Dawn's hand and the four rushed back to the plane without further delay.

"Wolverine, we've got them. I repeat we've got them. Meet us back at the jet. Over." Rogue fed the message through her wrist comm. And awaited a reply as she started boarding with the other three.

_Mission Accomplished._ She thought to herself as she watched Scott buckle himself in. _Glad to have you back, Slim._


End file.
